Sheet feeding machine



3 Sheets-Sheet 1 c. E. CLARKE SHEET FEEDING MACHINE Fiied Sept. '24,1938 June 25, 1940.

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June 25, Q CLARKE SHEET FEEDING MACHINE Filed Sept. 24. 1958 aSheets-Sheet 2 m T N E V m C. E. CLARKE June 25, 1940.

SHEET FEEDING MACHINE Filed'sgpt. 24, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 I/Ill *Eammw..."TEEEHHEEEEEEEEEEEHME Patented June 25, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE SHEET FEEDING MACHINE Application September 24,1938, Serial No.231,495

17 Claims.

This invention relates to sheet feeding machines and is illustratedherein as embodied in a machine of the type disclosed in Letters Patentof the United States No. 1,894,622 granted January 1'7, 1933, on anapplication filed in thename of Harmon E. Lindbladh.

Objects of the invention are to provide in a sheet feeding machine ofthe type referred to, improved means for gaging and controlling thelateral positions of the sheets as they leave the conveyor mechanism ofthe sheet feeding machine, to provide improved means for adjusting theconveyor mechanism and the gaging and controlling means, to provideimproved mechanism for lifting sheets to be fed separately from a pile,and to provide improved means for separating the sheets from each otherto facilitate lifting them from the pile.

To the attainment of these objects and in accordance with one feature ofthe invention, the machine is provided with an endless conveyor arrangedto travel in a path inclined'at an angle laterally of the machine overoppositely disposed rotating members, and with meansfor changing theangles of the axes about which the rotating members rotate relatively toeach other, thereby to vary the angle of the inclination of the conveyorlaterally of the machine. As herein. illustrated, the said meanscomprises eccentric bushings between the rotating members and a shaftupon which they are mounted, which bushings are secured against rotationon the shaft but may be moved simultaneously into different angularpositions relatively to the axis of the shaft by adjustment of saidshaft. Although the bushings are fixed against rotation relatively tothe shaft they may be adjusted longitudinally at will to vary theirpositions and those of the rotating members in accordance with theinclination of the endless conveyor.

In accordance with another feature, the invention provides improvedmeans for effecting a simultaneous or unitary lateral adjustment of aside gage of the machine, which controls the position at which thesheets leave the conveyor, and of the rotating members over which theconveyor operates as well as of the mechanism which guides the conveyoron said members. As herein illustrated, this purpose is accomplished byproviding a screw adjustment for the side gage laterally of the conveyorand. by having connections between the side gage and the rotatingmembers and guiding mechanism whereby a single adjustment of the sidegage effects a corresponding lateral adjustment of these othermechanisms.

In accordance with still another feature of the invention means isprovided for causing suction mechanism, which lifts the sheetsseparately from the top of a pile, to operate more efficiently than anysuch machine heretofore available by provacuum existing in the lineinstantly will createthe suction required to lift a sheet from the pile.It willbe seen that the above arrangement is a decided improvement oversystems heretofore employed in machines of this type in which a. con- 1.tinuously operating pump works constantly through a vent or valveopening into the airoutside the system and in which the suction, whileconstantly created, is only effective when the vent is closed. In otherwords, a smaller pump may be used with the machine of my inventionbecause the entire line from the pump to the suction opening does nothave to be exhausted when each sheet is to be lifted.

Withthe above and other objects and features In View, including alsoimproved means for separating or rufliing the sheets at the top portionof the pile to enable them to be more readily lifted from the pile, theinvention will now be described in connection with the, accompanyingdrawings and will thereafter be pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the sheet feeding machine and conveyorin which the present invention is embodied;

Fig. 2 is a. plan view of the feeder and conveyori Fig. 3 is a detailsectional View of one of the rolls over which the conveyor travels;

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view through the suction mechanism bywhich sheets are transferred from the pile to the conveyor;

Fig. 5. is a detail perspective view of a guide finger for the tape;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view of mean for adjustingv a sidegage on the conveyor;

Fig. '7 is a side elevation of the adjusting means shown in Fig. 6; and

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic View of means for separating a single sheetfrom a pile stackedon the table of the feeder.

As illustrated in the patent referred to above,

the sheet feeding machine or feeder is adapted to be assembled with aruling machine to supply sheets to be ruled to said machine in propertimed relation to its operating instrumentalities. The feeder comprisesa table or sheet conveyor iii having a pair of guides I2 at its oppositesides adapted to slide on upstanding posts it rigidly secured in a baseIt, the posts being connected at their upper ends by side members I8,iii. The table H3 is raised and lowered by vertical screws rotatablymounted in the base and cross members, as fully described in the patentreferred to. A pile or stack of sheets A to be ruled is placed on thetable and the sheets are transferred one by one from the table to anendless conveyor in the form of a belt or tape 64 which, in turn,carries. them to the ruling machine or other mechanism for operating onthe sheets.

As also described in the patent mentioned, the feeding of the sheets oneat a time to the conveyor is accomplished by suction applied to the topsheet of the pile through a rotating perforated suction wheel 22adjustably mounted on a driven cross shaft 2 journaled in bearings inthe side members E8. The wheel 22 has a suction pipe 26 fitted insideand above the'lower side of its perimeter, this pipe 26 being attachedto a transverse pipe or cylindrical vacuum chamber 28 fastened at itsends in the side members I8. At the side of the feeder opposite thesuction wheel 22, the pipe 28 connects with a hose 30 leading to arotary pump 32 which may be of any well-known or usual construction.

Heretofore in machines of this type it has been customary to createsuction in the suction pipe 26 by means of a valve positioned adjacentto the valve operating mechanism which, as disclosed in the patentreferred to, is located adjacent to the left hand side of the machine,as viewed from the front or the right in Fig. 1. The suction pump wasoperated continuously but when the valve was open the system was ventedand no eifective vacuum was created. When the valve was closed thesuction, acting through the pipes and perforated wheel 22, lifted thetop sheet from the pile into engagement with the suction wheel afterwhich the Wheel was rotated to transfer the top sheet to the endlessconveyor. Obviously much power was lost with such an arrangement becausethe pump Was acting to suck in air constantly through the valve but only.created a working suction when the .valve was closed.

In the present construction the usual valve actuating mechanism isretained, this mechanism, as best shown in Figs. 1 and 4, comprising alever 34 pivoted at 36 on one of the side members l8 and having on onearm a roll 38 which, by means of a spring 39, is caused to ride on a camMi carried on the end of a shaft 42, which is rotated continuously bymechanism (not shown) connected to the driving mechanism of the rulingmachine, thereby rotating the cam in timed relation to the rulingmachine. Another arm of the lever 34 has secured thereto a rod 44 (Figs.2 and 4) which extends horizontally against the suction wheel, 22.

a plurality of guides or pilots 50 which have a sliding fit with theinner wall of the pipe 28, as shown in Fig. 4.

When the valve 48 in the present construction is closed, as shown inFig. 4, the pump 32, al though driven continuously as before, is notperforming any work but acts only to overcome the small losses due tofriction. When the valve is opened, however, through rotation of the cam40, the vacuum in the conduit 30 and the pipe 28 creates a suction whichdraws in air through the suction pipe 26 and wheel 28 to lift the topsheet from the pile, whereupon the pump 32 operates immediately torestore the vacuum in the conduit and pipe. Thus it will be seen thatthe present arrangement eliminates the vent in the system and has onlyone suction opening which is opened and closed in proper timed relationto the rest of the mechanism by a valve located near said opening. Thisgreatly reduces the work required of the pump and results in asubstantial saving of power. By maintaining, as it were, a vacuumreservoir behind the valve, which is bled from time to time by the valveand which is constantly maintained by the continuous pump, not only canI employ a smaller pump than has hitherto been necessary, but I can alsorun the machine at greater speeds, since the vacuum maintained behindthe valve is effective immediately to lift a sheet-4n contrast to theold system where the pump itself did the effective work and was obligedto draw a column of air through the entire length of the line each timea sheet was lifted. The mechanism for actuating the cam 48 andassociated mechanism in timed relation to the ruling machine is wellknown in the art and need not be further described herein.

It is necessary in feeding sheets one by one from a pile to provide somemeans for separating the top sheet from the succeeding sheet so that twoor more sheets will not be lifted together I Heretofore this has beenaccomplished in various ways such as by pneumatic means or by one ormore pipes connected to the pump 32, which also acts as a pressure pumpor blower, through an outlet opposite the vacuum inlet, to supplycompressed air for this purpose. These pipes were heretofore usuallyprovided with single openings elongated horizontally through which airwas blown against the leading or forward edges of the sheets at the topportion of the pile, thereby rufiiing and separating. the uppermostsheets and facilitating the lifting of each of them separately by thesuction means.

. In the present construction this purpose is accomplished in thefollowing manner. A pipe .52 is provided mounted in stationary posts 54secured by split collars 58 to a shaft 58 (Figs. 2 and 4) the shaftbeing fastened in well known manner to brackets on opposite portions ofthe frame of the feeder. The pipe 52 is perforated on the side adjacentto the pile of sheets by a multiplicity of small holes 60. The left-handend of the pipe, as viewed in Fig. 4, is closed and the right-hand endis connected to a tube or hose 62 (Fig. 1) which is attached at itsother end to the outlet in the compression or blower side of the pump32. The pipe 52 is so positioned heightwise of the table that it will belocated opposite the upper portion of the pile of sheets resting on thetable and this position may, of course, be varied as desired by merelyadjusting the posts 54 in the split collars 56. When the and thus,enable the top sheet to be readily lifted against the suction wheel 22without a second sheet adhering to the top sheet. The substantiallyuniform distribution of the jets of air over all, or the greaterportion, of the width of the sheets produces the separation with acertainty far greater than has been obtained by other methods. Fig. 8illustrates the relative positions of the blower pipe 52, suction wheel22 and the pile of sheets A when the sheet separator or blower is inoperation.

As is usual in machines for feeding sheet material from one point toanother, a gage is provided along one side of the endless conveyor forcontrolling the position at which the sheets leave the conveyor, therebyinsuring a uniform alignment of the delivered sheets. The tape formingthe conveyor passes over rotating members or rolls in an inclined pathusually describing a helix and it is necessary, in order that the sheetsenter the ruling machine in a proper position, that one edge of thesheet be engaging the side gage when leaving the conveyor. In thepresent construction the single endless tape 64 passes over a forwarddriven roll 66 and, adjacent to the ruling machine, passes over rotatingmeans in the form of a plurality of rolls 68. The tape 64 in the presentinstance may be described, for convenience, as starting at a point B(Fig. 2) and passing in a helical formation until it reaches the point Cfrom which point it is carried on the lower side of the conveyor, overpulleys l0, 72 mounted on the conveyor frame, until it returns to thestarting point B. The upper run of the conveyor tape presents a flatsurface for supporting the sheets and, as indicated above, it travelstoward the ruling machine with a lateral inclination which, in everycase, is toward the side of the conveyor upon which the side gage islocated, thereby urging the sheets toward and into contact with thegage.

It should be pointed out that in feeding ma chines of this type it maysometimes be necessary,

on account of-the previous printing of the sheets or the particularlocation of the trimmed edges of the sheets, to direct them laterallytoward a gage located at the left-hand side of the conveyor, as

iewed from the left in Fig. 2, instead of at the right-hand side of theconveyor, as is more customary and as is illustrated herein, thisrighthand side of the conveyor being commonly termed in the art therulers side of the machine. Accordingly, a side gage may be provided ateither side or both sides of the machine depending on the type of workto be done.

As herein illustrated, a side gage M is provided on the right-hand orrulers side, which extends the full length of the conveyor and issecured in position by right angle brackets l6 and 18 (Figs. 2, 6 and 7)threaded respectively on rods 80, 82 rotatably mounted in theconveyorframe. As stated abovev the upper runs of the endless conveyorhe have a lateral inclination toward the side gage it as the tapetravels from the roll 66 to the individual rolls 53.

It is often necessary in feeding sheets of different textures or weightsover the conveyor to vary the lateral inclination or obliqueness of theupper runs of the conveyor tape to insure that the sheets will be movedlaterally sufficiently to bring them into engagement with the side gagebefore each sheet leaves the conveyor. The manner. of.

accomplishing this in the present embodiment consists in mounting eachof the individual rolls 68 for rotation about avariable or adjustableaxis which may be located at different angles relatively to the axis ofthe rotating member or roll 66. As illustrated, the rolls 68 are carriedby a transverse shaft 84 fixed at its right-hand end (Figs. 2 and 7) tothe bracket I8 by a set screw 85. The opposite end of the shaft 84 isfree to move longitudinally in an inwardly projecting sleeve 81 fixed tosaid frame, the end of the shaft being inserted in the sleeve fortelescopic adjustment I Widthwise of the frame.

Each roll 68 has a convex or barrel-shaped surface on which the conveyortape runs and the roll is rotatable on a bearing or bushing 88 (Fig. 3)which is eccentric with its axis inclined relatively to the axis of theshaft 84. The roll may thus be shaft and so that the axis about whichthe roll 68 rotates can be made to cross the axis of the shaft atdifferent angles between these two extremes.

The roll is retained on the bushing 88. by a collar 90 secured to oneend of the bushing by a set screw 92. to receive a compression spring 94and a friction At its other end the bushing is drilled ball or plug 95which is arranged to enter a spline 93 in the shaft and thus prevent thebushing from turning on the shaft while permitting its adjustmentlengthwise thereof.

. The construction of this mechanism is such that when the bushing 88 islocated in the position shown in Fig. 3, the'roll will rotate at an"angle to the shaft 84 that creates the maximum lateral inclination ofthe tape in the direction toward the side gage M, the bushing beingmaintained in this position by the set screw 86 which secures the shaft84 against turning in its bearings. A turn of the shaft 90 in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed from the right in Fig. 3, moves thebushing into a neutral position in which the axis about which the rollrotates will be substantially parallel to the axis of the shaft and thetape will run straight or at right angles to the shaft with noinclination in either direction. Rotation of the shaft and bushing 90further-in the same direction moves the bushing axis into the otherextreme angle relatively to the axis 4 of the shaft and accordingly thetape will be inclined laterally toward the opposite side of the machinewhere, as pointed out above, another side gage may be mounted. Anyposition between the two extremes mentioned will, of course, produce acorresponding lateral inclination in the direction of travel of thetape, so that whatever direction or rate of lateral movement of thesheets toward the gage or gages is required, it can be obtained bymerely turning the shaft 84 a predetermined amount and securing it inposition by the set screw '86. The various angular positions of thebushing 8&3 require that the roll thereon be also repositionedlengthwise of the shaft. This is readily accomplished by merely movingthe roll along the shaft, theball 96 furnishing a yieldable eature whichproduces sufficient friction "to maintain the bushing in itslongitudinal adjustment on the shaft.

Since the tape is often running at a substantial sly angle to the roll66, and since it would naturally tend to creep along this roll to reducethis angle if permitted, means is provided to maintain the positions ofthe several loops of the conveyor tape which pass over the roll 66,thereby also maintaining the chosen inclination of the upper runs of thetape. This means comprises a plurality of fingers we (Figs. 1, 2 and 5)which engage the lower runs of the tape 54 and hold them in properlateral position on the roll 66. These fingers I00 are secured by thumbscrews 902 to a transverse shaft sea, the right-hand end of which, asviewed from the front of the feeder, is secured in the bracket l6 whichcarries the side gage l4 and the opposite end of which is telescopicallyconnected to an inwardly extending sleeve I36 similar to the sleeve ill.

It should be pointed out that the lower runs of the conveyor tape M arelocated at substantial angles to thehorizontal upper runs upon which,the sheets travel and these fingers I00 are adapted to engage theselower runs and maintain them against creeping along the roll 66, therebyalso assisting to hold the opposite ends of the tape in position on theeccentric rolls 58. Each finger is separately adjustable to locate it inthe proper position along the shaft H34 by means of the thumb screw Hi2.When the rolls 68 are located as shown in Fig. 3, the tape is engagingthe fingers IE9 on their right sides (as seen from the front of thefeeder), as shown in Fig. 5. When the rolls 98 have been caused torotate in their opposite extreme angular position, the lower runs of thetape may be moved manually over the ends of the fingers E and caused toengage the opposite or left sides thereof, thereby maintaining the runsof the tape in position when their inclination is in the oppositedirection laterally of the machine. In this latter case, as statedabove, a gage is employed on the left side of the machine instead of onthe right, because the sheets will be urged toward the left.

It should be pointed out here that in ruling some kinds of sheets, forexample, sheets for loose leaf or similar work, a binding margin is lefton each side of the sheet which margin may vary from one to three inchesmore or less in width. This binding margin will be located at oppositeends of the two sides of the same sheet. The lines to be ruled, that is,the pens which do the ruling remain in their original formationrelatively to the sheets in order that the sheets will be ruled properlyfrom left to right on each side. Heretofore the most usual method ofobtaining the binding margin at the proper ends of opposite sides of thesame sheet was to move the pens of the ruling machine as a unitlaterally of the ruling machine and conveyor the required distance, thisbeing accomplished in some instances by moving the pen clamp laterallyrelatively to the pen beam and, in other instances, by moving the entirepen beam laterally of the ruling machine. In accordance with the presentinvention a proper binding margin at opposite sides of a sheet to beruled for loose leaf 'work is obtained by lateral adjustment of the sideyond the frame of the feeder and have secured to their ends sprocketwheels I08, I I0 (Figs. 2, 6 and 7) over which runs a chain H2. The rod80 has a handle I 14 whereby the rod may be rotated manually and,through the chain H2, may rotate the other rod 82. This action moves thebrackets 16, i8 and the side gage 14 simultaneously either to the rightor left, that is, widthwise of the conveyor to adjust the side gage intodifferent lateral positions for accommodating various binding margins ofloose left sheets. As stated above, the range of lateral adjustment ispreferably from one to three inches although it' could, of course, begreater if desired. The shaft IE4, secured in the bracket 16, and theshaft 84, secured in the bracket 18, are thus caused to move to theright or left with said brackets. The telescopic connections of theseshafts with the sleeves on the left-hand side of the conveyor framepermits this lateral movement. Accordingly, when the side gage isadjusted widthwise, the shaft carrying the fingers I00 and the shaftcarrying theeccentric rolls 68 are likewise adjusted laterally as a unitwith the gage. Consequently, when the adjustment is made the entireassembly consisting of the side gage, fingers and rod Hi l, eccentricrolls and rod 84 and the conveyor tape 64, may be moved the amountdesired to permit the mechanism to operate on loose leaf marginal work.No time is lost and no inconvenient individual adjustments of theseparate elements of the machine are necessary. If the tape is notrunning exactly true with respect some particular roll 88 it ispossible, and often advantageous, to make an individual longitudinaladjustment of one of the fingers I00 or of one of the rolls 68.Normally, however, the adjustment of the entire assembly as a unit issufficient for producing the proper marginal space required on thedifferent sheets and such individual adjustments are only made in theinitial assembly of the machine.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desiretosecure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a sheet feeding machine, the combination with an endless conveyor,of supporting means over which said conveyor operates at one extremity,a plurality of rolls over which the conveyor runs at its oppositeextremity, and means arranged to vary the angles of the axes of saidrolls.

2. In a sheet feeding machine, the combination with an endless conveyor,of a supporting roll over which the conveyor runs at one extremity, ashaft opposite said roll, a plurality of rolls rotatable about saidshaft and. over which the conveyor runs at its opposite extremity, andmeans for simultaneously varying the angles of the axes about which saidrolls rotate.

3. In a sheet feeding machine, the combination with an endless conveyor,of supporting means over which the conveyor operates at one extremity, ashaft opposite said supporting means, a plurality of rolls rotatableabout said shaft and over which the conveyor runs at its oppositeextremity, and eccentric means between the shaft and said rolls forchanging the angles of the axes about which the rolls rotate.

4. In a sheet feeding machine, the combination with an endless conveyor,of horizontal supporting means over which the conveyor operates at oneextremity, a horizontal shaft opposite said supporting means, aplurality of rolls supported by said shaft and over which the conveyorruns for controlling the position at which the sheets leave theconveyor, means for controlling the directlon of movement of theconveyoifland means at its opposite extremity, bushings between saidrolls and said shaft, the outer surfaces of said bushings beingpositioned at'angles to the axis of the shaft, and means for securingeachibushing against rotation on the shaft.

5. In a sheet feeding machine, the combination with an endless conveyor,of a supporting roll over which the conveyor operates at one extremity,a shaft opposite said roll and-parallel thereto, a plurality of bushingson said shaft having holes therein located at angles to their outersurfaces, rolls mounted on said bushings and rotatable thereon, saidrolls providing means over which the conveyor runs at the extremitythereof opposite the supporting roll, and means arranged to secure thebushings in different angular position about the axis of said shaftthereby to vary the angles of the axes about which the rolls rotate.

6. Ina sheet feeding machine, the combination of a supporting roll, ashaft, opposite said roll, a plurality of rolls rotatable about saidshaft, tapes running over said roll and rolls at angles inclinedlaterally of the axis of the roll, and means for varying the inclinationof said tapes.

7. In a sheet feeding machine, the combination with an endless conveyor,of a rotary support over which the conveyor operates at one extremity, ashaft spaced from said support, a plurality of rolls on said shaft overwhich the conveyor runs at its opposite extremity, said conveyor beinginclined laterally of the axes of said support and said rolls, eccentricbushings between the shaft and each roll arranged to vary the angles ofthe axes of said rolls thereby changing the inclination of saidconveyor, means for securing each bushing against rotation on the shaft,and means for effecting an adjustment of each bushing lengthwise of theshaft while so secured.

8. In a sheet feeding machine, the combination with an endless conveyor,of a rotary support over which the conveyor operates at one extremity, ashaft opposite said support and parallel thereto, a plurality of rollson said shaft over which the conveyor runs at its opposite extremity,said conveyor running at an angle inclined laterally of the axis of saidrotary support, bush ings between the shaft and the rolls thereon, theouter surfaces of said bushings being eccentric H to the axis of theshaft, means for maintaining the bushings against rotation on the shaft,and means for securing the shaft in different angular positions aboutits axis, thereby changing the angles of the axes about which said rollsrotate.

9. In a sheet feeding machine, the combination with an endless tape, ofa horizontal supporting roll over which the tape runs at one extremity,a shaft located opposite said supporting roll, a convex roll on saidshaft over which the tape runs at its opposite extremity, said taperunning at an angle inclined laterally of the axis of the supportingroll, an eccentric member between the convex roll and the shaft causingthe roll to rotate about an axis positioned at an angle to the 1 axis ofthe shaft, resilient means for securing the eccentric member againstrotation on the shaft, means for securing the shaft in different angularpositions about its axis, thereby changing the angle of the axis aboutwhich the convex roll rotates, and means for permitting adjustment ofsaid eccentric member and convex roll. longitudinally of the shaft.

10. In a sheet feeding machine, the combination with an endless conveyorarranged to transfer sheets from one point to another, of means arrangedto effect a simultaneous adjustment of the two .first-named means andthe conveyor transversely of the direction of movement of said lljIn asheet feeding machinathe combina- I tion of atape'traveling over a pairof rotary members and arranged to transfer sheets of. paper from onepoint to another, a gage located at rlght angles to said rotary membersand arranged to control the position at which the sheets leave the tape,means for retainingthe tape'on said rotary members, and means forsimultaneously ad usting said gage, said retaining means and tapetransversely of the direction of movement of the tape.

12. In a sheet feeding machine, the combina- $1011 of a unitary roll, ashaft opposite said roll, a plurality of rolls on said shaft, a taperunning over said roll and plurality of rolls arranged to feed sheetsfrom one point to another, a gage adjacent to the tape for controllingthe position of the sheets thereon, and means arranged to effect asimultaneous adjustment of said gage,

the plurality of rolls and the tape widthwise of the unitary roll.

13. In a sheet feeding machine, the combination of a horizontal roll, aplurality of rolls opposite said roll, tapes running over said roll androlls, said tapes running at angles inclined relatively to the axis ofsaid horizontal roll, fingers for engaging said tapes and maintainingthem on said roll and plurality of rolls, a gage at one side of saidtapes for controlling the position at which sheets leave the tapes, andmeans arranged simultaneously to adjust the gage, the plurality of rollsand the fingers widthwise relatively to said horizontal roll.

14. In a sheet feeding machine, the'combination of a horizontal roll, ashaft opposite said roll, a plurality of rolls carried by said shaft, atape threaded over said roll and rolls and arranged to travel in a pathinclined laterallyof saidrolls, fingers for guiding said tape andmaintamlng it on said rolls, a shaft carrying said fingers, a gage atone side of the tape for engaging the sheets and controlling theposition thereof, and means-for simultaneously adjusting the gage andthe shafts carrying the rolls and fingers widthwise of the machine, saidmeans including rotatable rods provided with screw threads, membersthreaded on said rods and arranged for adjustment lengthwise thereof,said members being connected with the gage and the shafts whichv carrythe fingers and rolls, and mechanism for rotating said rods.

15. In a sheet feeding machine, the combination of a continuouslyoperating pump, a pipe connected to said pump and havingan enlargedportion, a rotatable shaft parallel to said pipe, suction operatedsheet-lifting mechanism mounted for rotation with said shaft andconnected to the enlarged portion of said pipe, a rod disposedconcentrically in said pipe, a valve carried on the end of said rod andnormally seated on the inner end of said enlarged portion, pilotscarried on said valve and fitting in the smaller portion of said pipe,and means for intermittently reciprocating said rod.

16. A sheet feeding machine having spaced side frames, a sheet conveyormovable between said members, across shaft carrying asuction feed wheelin an intermediate position between said side frames, 'a cylindricalvacuum chamber disposed between the side frames in parallel relation tosaid cross shaft and. having connections with the feed wheel, acontrolling valve located in said chamber adjacent to the feed wheel,and. a cam operated valve rod disposed concentrically Within thecylindrical vacuum chamber and movable endwise to open said valve.

1'7. A sheet feeding machine having spaced side frames, asheet-elevating table movable between said side frames, a cross shaftrotatably mounted (in said side frames, a suction feed wheel mounted forrotation with said shaft, a cylindrical vacuum chamber carried by saidside frames and parallel to said cross shaft, a connection between saidchamber and said feed wheel, a valve disposed in said vacuum chamberadjacent said feed wheel, and a cam operated rod controlling said valveand concentrically mounted in said vacuum chamber for reciprocationtherein.

CHARLES E. CLARKE.

